Bionicle Adventures 1: Hunt for the Masks
by RyantheFilmmaker
Summary: The Toa Mata arrive on the island of Mata Nui confused and without purpose. They learn of Makuta and his plans to overtake the island and control the Matoran villagers. But before the Toa can stop him, they must first find the Great Kanohi Masks hidden throughout the island. Little do they know, someone is already searching for them, and won't be pleased with the new competition.
1. Chapter 1

_**Chapter 1**_

**Onua**

In a vast, blue ocean, a silver canister bobbed in the waves. Slowly, the current drew it towards a huge land mass - the island of Mata Nui.

The canister began to pick up speed. Seawater foamed in its wake. It hit a sandbar, and flew into the sky. It sailed in an arc for a second, then crashed onto a sandy beach.

The canister laid still for a moment. Then, a hatch at the top creaked open, and its contents were ejected onto the sand.

The black and gray figure immediately squinted its eyes. It was nice and dark in that canister, and this sudden light… What had happened? Why was it in there? No, not it. He. His name was Onua. He didn't know how he knew, but he knew.

Onua slowly and shakily got to his knees. He'd been cramped in that tube for so long, all of his muscles ached. He stood up, and took a step forward. He fell back on his hands and knees.

He spotted something black lying face-down on the dirt in front of him. He picked it up with his wide hands. It was curved, with two eye holes near the top. Onua lifted it to his face. As it neared his face, it began to glow a weak purple. He paused for a moment to observe the odd phenomenon. He shrugged, and shoved it onto his face.

Strength surged through him. It was unlike anything he had ever felt - not that that was a high bar to clear. His aches and cramps evaporated, leaving him with only power. He gathered his power and threw his arms into the air. The sand around him erupted. Onua took a startled step back. He looked around, but saw no one. Did he do that?

He gathered his power into his hands again. He thrust one forward. Sand sprayed in that direction. He slammed the other downward, and the sand flew away, leaving a small crater.

"So…" Onua muttered to himself. His voice was deep and smooth. "I am meant to command the earth. But why?"

Onua looked towards the horizon. The sand gave way to grass, which led into a dense jungle. Rising from the jungle was a small mountain. Onua could make out the opening to a cave carved into the mountainside.

_Perhaps I will find my answers in there._

Onua began his trek to the mountain.

**Tahu**

The red-and-orange figure stood at the base of a volcano. The journey here was easy, but now what would he do? Climb to the top? That's not gonna happen. He'd sooner be able to tunnel through it.

When he awoke on the beach, he was only sure of two things: His name was Tahu, and he was a being of great power. He was able to spark and shape flames, and could envelop himself in a protective bubble. Why he had those powers, he didn't know.

Tahu looked at the volcano again. There's no way he could climb it. _So what am I even doing here?! _Screaming in frustration, he ripped his sword off his back and shot a jet of flame at a nearby rock.

"Hey!" a voice shouted. Tahu turned to face where the sound came from. He saw a short red and yellow being running toward him, carrying what looked like a sword. Tahu gripped his tighter. He'd been itching for some action.

"Who the hell are you?" Tahu snarled.

"My name is Jaller, captain of the Ta-Koro guard," the being stated, slowing down but still holding his weapon in front of him. "State your name and business here, or leave."

Tahu lowered his blade, but didn't loosen his grip. "My name is Tahu-"

At this, Jaller dropped his weapon and stared open-mouthed at Tahu. "Tahu - Toa Tahu! It's- it's you! Oh, thank Mata Nui!" he stammered.

Tahu sheathed his sword. "Do I know you?" he asked him.

"You have to follow me back to the village! The Turaga is going to be really excited to see you!" Jaller said, turning around. He started to run in the direction he came from. Tahu stood still, taking in the things he just learned.

"Come on, Toa Tahu! You have to see the village!" Jaller insisted.

_I suppose this "Turaga" may have some answers for me. _Tahu figured. He ran after Jaller.

The village was within a huge fortress, complete with towers and fortified walls. It was built on an island in a lake of lava, the only entrances being five stone bridges.

"There's a lot of security here," Tahu observed.

"Yeah, you wouldn't think anything would live out here, right? Too hot, not enough water." Jaller replied.

"How does that answer my question?" Tahu asked.

"I was getting there. Anyway, there _are_ things that live here, and they might be the most dangerous Rahi on the island." Jaller continued.

"What are 'Rahi'?" Tahu asked.

"Oh, yeah. Rahi are the beasts that live among us. Here in Ta-Koro, we have issues with Nui-Ramas, Doom Vipers, and Fire Mahi swarms." Jaller explained. "The sinking bridges - don't worry, they only sink when we make them - keep out the Fire Mahis, the walls keep out the Doom Vipers, and our archers keep the Nui-Ramas at bay."

"I see." Tahu said simply. Maybe his purpose was to help protect this village against these Rahi.

They walked past the gates into the village. Jaller had a short conversation with another guard, then hurried off deeper into the village. "Stay here," he told Tahu before he left. "I'll fetch the Turaga."

Tahu observed the village. There were dozens of small, rectangular, brick buildings scattered throughout, which he assumed were the villagers' houses. The villagers themselves walked about, not yet having noticed Tahu. Most were shades of red, orange, or yellow, but there were some that where blue, green, or brown. Those ones looked out of their element, and were constantly fanning themselves. Tahu assumed they were from other villages, if there were any.

An orange and red figure, holding a staff adorned with flames, stepped out of one of the larger huts, accompanied by Jaller. _That must be Turaga,_ Tahu figured.

**Gali**

Gali swam alongside Hahli's canoe. She had met Hahli while exploring the reef off the island shore. Hahli insisted Gali follow her to visit Turaga Nokama in Ga-Koro.

Ga-Koro consisted of a web of bridges and floating wooden huts. Towards the center of the village was a much larger dome, the Great Temple. There was a canoe or rowboat docked at every hut, but many Matoran (what the villagers were called, according to Hahli) were swimming in the warm waters.

Hahli docked her canoe near the temple. "Follow me into the temple. Nokama should be in there."

Gali dove under the water, turned around, and shot up. She gracefully breached the surface, did a flip, and landed on the dock.

"Not bad," Hahli joked. She walked off towards the temple, gesturing for Gali to follow.

Nokama was indeed in the temple, sitting on a bench and reading a stone tablet.

Hahli cleared her throat. "Um, Turaga Nokama?"

The Turaga looked up from her reading. "Ah, Hahli. Good to see you."

Hahli smiled. "Good to see you too. This is Toa Gali!" she excitedly introduced her tall companion. Nokama nodded.

"Yes, I've been expecting you. Come, sit." Nokama moved aside for Gali to sit next to her. "We've much to talk about."

Gali sat down on the bench. "Nice to meet you, Turaga." she said.

"Likewise, Toa." Nokama responded.

"Toa… Hahli called me that as well. What does it mean?" Gali asked.

"Toa is a title for strong beings with control over an element. You are a Toa of Water, as was I." Nokama explained. "You're no doubt confused about everything; that's to be expected. Allow me to explain.

"In the time before time, the Great Spirit descended from the heavens; carrying we, the ones called the Matoran, to this paradise. We were separate, and without purpose, so the Great Spirit illuminated us with the Three Virtues: Unity, Duty, and Destiny. We embraced these gifts, and named our island home Mata Nui after the Great Spirit himself.

"But our happiness was not to last. Mata Nui's brother, Makuta, was jealous of these honors and betrayed him, casting a spell over Mata Nui, who fell into a deep slumber. Makuta was free to unleash his shadows. And unleash them, he did.

"Makuta infected the island's Rahi, turning them into violent beasts with an appetite for destruction. Ga-Koro alone was rebuilt three times since the attacks began. For years, we endured them without end.

"But there was hope. Legend foretold of six Toa, who would save us from Makuta and secure peace for our island. Today is the day that legend came true."

Gali sat in silence while Nokama finished her tale. "There are others like me?" she asked.

"Five others, yes. Tahu, Onua, Pohatu, Kopaka, and Lewa." Nokama answered. "If you wish to meet them, go to Kini Nui at the center of the island. If they've spoken with their Turaga, they will be sent there as well."

Gali nodded. "I shall, Turaga. It's been a pleasure meeting you." She began to stand up.

"Wait," Nokama said. "There is one last thing for you to know."

**Pohatu**

"Makuta is a powerful enemy," Turaga Onewa told him. "Even as a team, you may not be able to beat him."

"I hope you're going somewhere with this," Pohatu replied, "cause you're not making me want to fight him."

Onewa chuckled. "Don't worry, I am. You know the mask you wear on your face?"

Pohatu raised a hand to it, feeling its curves and lines. "Yeah. When I put it on, I felt like I had the power to move mountains."

"And perhaps, with enough practice, you could." Onewa said. "Your mask gives you your strength. Without it, your power would be halved. But it gives you more than just your physical strength," he explained. "You wear the Kanohi Kakama, the Great Mask of Speed. There are many more masks spread throughout the island, hidden away or guarded by Rahi. If you collect them all, you stand a chance at beating Makuta."

Pohatu stood up. "Alright, that's good to know. I'll let the other Toa know that when I meet them." He turned towards the village's exit. "See you around, Turaga."

"Good luck, Toa. You'll need it." Onewa replied.

As Pohatu walked out of the village, he looked back and saw the Matoran waving at him. He grinned and waved back.

_Now, let's try out this mask._ Pohatu concentrated his thoughts on running. He took a step, and immediately set off at breakneck speeds. He looped around the Po-Wahi, throwing up huge sprays of sand in his wake. "WOOOOOOO!" he screamed as he ran. He covered the entire desert in just a minute.

Then, he slowed to a stop. Everything in the desert was the same; there really wasn't anywhere to run _to. _Pohatu looked around for a good destination. There was a volcano… definitely a bad idea. He could run to the peak of that icy mountain. Yeah, he should go there. If it's too cold, he could always just run back down. He concentrated on the peak, then activated his mask power.

The island rushed by him in a blur. The tans and browns of the desert faded into white as Pohatu entered Ko-Koro. He began to climb up the mountain. He saw a white-clad figure in front of him. Before he could slow down, or even shout a warning, the two collided.

**Kopaka**

Kopaka slowly made his way to the peak of Mount Ihu. After a brief yet informative discussion with Turaga Nuju and his translator Matoro, he had decided to search for the masks. He didn't need to meet the other Toa; they'd just slow him down.

The Turaga told him that he could find one mask at a "Place of far-seeing". Kopaka wasn't one for riddles, but this one was simple enough to figure out. At the peak of the tallest mountain on Mata Nui, he would be able to see very far.

Kopaka heard a faint rumbling, and turned around just in time to see a brown blur crash into him. The two hit the snow with a thud. Kopaka felt all his power drain out of him, then noticed his mask had been knocked off.

The attacker decelerated, and slid back down the mountain to Kopaka. "Sorry about that," he said. He grabbed Kopaka's mask and handed it back to him. Kopaka snatched it away and put it back on his face.

"Just who do you think you are?" Kopaka snapped.

"I'm Pohatu, Toa of Stone. You are…?" Pohatu stretched out a hand to help the white Toa up.

"I didn't think a Toa would be so clumsy." Kopaka replied coldly. He stood up, ignoring Pohatu's hand. "I'm going to be going now. Don't follow me."

Kopaka walked past Pohatu and continued his trek to Mount Ihu's peak. Pohatu inevitably followed.

"So," he asked. "What's your name?"

"Kopaka. What did I say about following me?" Kopaka picked up a chunk of snow and tossed it at Pohatu. "Next one will be made of ice." he warned.

"Alright, brother Kopaka. We should be going to that Kini Nui place to meet up with the others." Pohatu suggested.

Kopaka sighed. "I work alone."

"By choice, or because nobody can stand you?" Pohatu replied. Kopaka almost smiled. _He's got a sharp wit, that's for sure. _He continued up the slope, Pohatu a short ways behind.

As he neared the top, the winds began to pick up. Snowflakes and hail buffeted the Toa's masks. The previously quick pace Kopaka maintained slowed to a crawl.

"I THINK WE SHOULD HEAD BACK!" Pohatu yelled.

Kopaka turned his head to yell back. "NO! SOMETHING HAS TO BE UP HERE!"

Pohatu was quiet for a moment. Then, he came up with an idea. "HOLD ON, KOPAKA! I HAVE AN IDEA!"

Kopaka didn't quite catch what Pohatu said. He was about to ask, when he felt himself being jerked upwards against the wind. A moment later, he stood at the top of the mountain.

The wind and snow were both calm. The peak was a small, mostly flat area covered in snow. It was just below the clouds, so the view was crystal clear. On a pedestal in the center, a gray Kakama sat snow-covered.

"What… what happened?" Kopaka asked. He was still shaken by the sudden change.

"I figured it'd be quicker," Pohatu replied. He tapped his mask. "Mask of speed. Just like that one," he pointed to the mask on the pedestal.

"You could've warned me."

"Would you have heard it?"

_I guess he's got a point there._ Kopaka stalked over to the mask. "You already have a Mask of Speed. So this is mine." He dusted of the mask, and put it on over his Akaku. He felt energy course through him. He felt like he could run laps around the island in seconds.

But could he use multiple masks at the same time? He activated his Akaku, and saw mineral deposits deep below ground, Matoran sleeping in their huts, Rahi hunting other Rahi in the jungle. _So, the Mask of X-Ray Vision is still mine to use._

Kopaka looked to the center of the island, where Nuju had said the other Toa would be. Sure enough, there were two Toa already there, and two on their way. Kopaka turned back to Pohatu when something caught his eye. There was another being, the same size as himself. It was walking through a tunnel towards the shape of what looked like another mask.

_Odd, _Kopaka thought. _Should I meet the other Toa, or find out more about this stranger?_

"What's our plan now?" Pohatu asked, snapping Kopaka out of his thoughts.

"Greet our brothers," Kopaka replied simply. He looked again at Kini Nui, and triggered his new Mask of Speed. Kopaka raced off in a blur. Pohatu followed, only a few footsteps behind.

They arrived at the meeting place in only a second. Before them stood their Toa brothers.

**Lewa**

Just ten minutes ago, Lewa had been swinging through Le-Koro without a care in the world. But then he'd met a villager called Kongu, had a whole conversation with this Turaga guy, and it's all been downhill from there. Now, he was caught up in an argument about how they should find the masks.

"It's obvious," Kopaka repeated. "We all go our separate ways. It's the simplest solution."

Pohatu looked a little hurt. "Hey, if it wasn't for me, would you have gotten that mask yet? Or would you be buried under six feet of snow?"

"Exactly," Gali said. "From what Turaga Nokama told me, these masks could be hidden in places too difficult for just one of us to get to. Kopaka, you have to see that."

The argument droned on. Lewa occupied himself with backflips and acrobatics. He flipped onto a mossy statue, then back onto the ground.

"I agree with Gali and Pohatu," Onua finally broke his silence. "Lewa, what do you think?"

Lewa somersaulted next to Gali. "I really don't care. Whatever gets us moving quicker." He did a one-handed handstand, spun around twice, and launched back into the air, landing back on the statue.

"Could you stand still for five seconds?" Tahu demanded. "I'm trying to think."

"Must be pretty hard," Kopaka replied.

"Bold words coming from the Toa of Snowflakes," Tahu sneered back.

Eventually, the battle lines were drawn. Pohatu, Gali, Tahu, and Onua wanted to split into teams of two to find the masks. Kopaka wanted to go every Toa for themselves.

Lewa jumped next to Onua and Pohatu. "There, five to one. You're outnumbered, now for Mata Nui's sake, let's get going!"

"That's not how-" Kopaka began.

"Shut up, no one cares." Tahu cut him off. "Pohatu, you go with Kopaka. I'll go with Onua. Lewa, you and Gali can go together. Are we good?"  
Still, Kopaka protested. "Who made you the leader?" "This is going to slow us down." "For the last time, I work alone!"

Eventually, the others wore him down. It was well into the night by the time the teams headed out to find the Great Kanohi masks. Little did any of them know (except Kopaka) that someone else was looking for them at the same time….


	2. Chapter 2

**Kanohii the Gatherer**

Kanohii grabbed another chunk of dirt and pushed it against the tunnel wall. This had to be the most well-hidden mask on - _Or, I guess, in_ \- the island. The cave it was hiding in wasn't accessible through any tunnel, so she had to make her own.

She slowed down and took a few breaths. The Kakama she wore on her back sped the process up, but it was still slow going. _Let's hope those Toa take their sweet time getting here._

It was tiring work, the gathering. First, she had to learn where the mask was hidden - there were always clues. Then, she had to scout its hiding place. Where there hidden traps? Corrupted Rahi? Finally, there was the actual stealing of the mask.

_But is it _really _stealing? _She asked herself. _I mean, these masks were hidden for someone to find them. I might not be a Toa, but I am someone._

She triggered her Kakama again, and resumed her digging. Only a minute or two later, she was finished. She stepped into the small, closed-off cave. Dim lightstones lined the walls. The only thing of interest other than them was a dusty, gray Akaku on a pedestal. _That's what, my third Akaku? I wish there was more variety here._

She crept towards it, making sure to step lightly. During her scouting, she noticed the cave was rigged to collapse at any moment.

She picked up a rock, roughly as heavy as an Akaku. The switch would have to be near instantaneous, but she couldn't risk using her Kakama. Her free hand hovered over the mask. She brought the rock closer to the pedestal, just barely not touching it. She dropped the rock as she lifted the mask. The pedestal sank an inch. The cave shuddered, causing a cascade of dust to fall onto Kanohii.

Moments later, though, the cave went still. The switch worked. Kanohii breathed a sigh of relief, activated her Kakama, and sped off, listening to the sounds of the tunnel - _And cave, I assume_ \- collapsing behind her.

**The Jungle**

"So, where do we even get started?" Lewa asked. He and Gali were the first to leave Kini Nui. Gali wanted to get away from Tahu and Kopaka's bickering, and Lewa just wanted to get moving.

"I… I don't know," Gali admitted. "Pohatu said that he and Kopaka found one hidden at the top of a mountain. Maybe we should check places hard to reach?"

"If that's what we're going with, just follow me!" Lewa broke into a sprint towards Le-Koro. Gali chased after him.

Lewa jumped onto the nearest tree branch, then onto a higher branch on another tree. He grabbed a vine and swung to yet another tree. He squatted down on a branch, waiting for Gali to catch up.

"Slow… slow down, brother!" She called up to him, panting. She slowed down as she reached the trunk of the tree, and looked up at Lewa. "What's your plan?"

Lewa sat down. "The Turaga guy told me about this giant tree towards the edge of the jungle. No one's ever climbed it before. I thought that'd be a good place to check out." he explained.

"That makes sense," Gali replied. "Good thinking. Do you know where it is?"

Lewa hopped back onto his feet. "Nope!" He leapt off the branch, grabbed another vine, and swung through the jungle. Gali sighed and followed on foot.

When they had finally gotten to the tree, they were both exhausted. Gali could barely breathe in the humid air. Tiny insectoid Rahi buzzed everywhere, and more than once she felt she was being watched by something dangerous. Gali couldn't wait to climb up to the fresh air above the canopy.

The tree was immense. The trunk was twice as thick as Gali's arm span. The roots were as thick as a normal tree, and spread for dozens of feet. The trunk was covered in vines, but there were no branches anywhere near the ground. The trunk soared into the clouds, so far that she couldn't see the top. Just looking at it made her stomach queasy.

"So, Gali," Lewa panted, hopping down from a nearby tree, "How's your climbing skills?"

"I don't think I'll be able to do this," she replied. "You head on up."

"What's the matter?" Lewa teased, grinning behind his mask. "Scared of heights?"

"Yes. I'll stay here and guard the ground, make sure nothing tries to sneak up the trunk. You go up and get what might be hiding up there." Gali instructed. Lewa shrugged.

"Alright, scaredy cat," Lewa replied, hopping onto the trunk. He stowed his axe on his back, grabbed a vine, and began climbing.

**The Lava Fields**

The lava fields were Ta-Koro's number two attraction, after the volcano. To keep the volcano from erupting, the Ta-Matoran needed a way to drain it. With the Onu-Matoran's help, they drilled holes into the base of the volcano. The lava flowing from those drains created rivers that flow through the fields, crisscrossing it.

Tahu and Onua stood at the bank of a particularly large river, contemplating how to cross it. Onua tried to create a bridge of earth over it, but the parched dirt beneath his feet kept falling apart. "Do you know any other ways to get to this volcano? Maybe around the river instead of across it?" Onua asked.

Tahu scoffed. "Yeah, you could climb the volcano and jump in through the top." He unsheathed his sword and drew a crude picture of the mountain on the ground. "The Matoran drilled holes in the volcano to drain the lava," he explained, poking dots into the volcano's base and drawing squiggles coming out of them. "The best way in would be through one of already drained holes. This one," he circled one of the dots, "is the easiest way in. We cross the river, we go inside the volcano, we grab the mask. Our only roadblock is the river, which completely surrounds it."

"Except from above," Onua pointed out.

Tahu rolled his eyes. "We can't get there from above without climbing the volcano, something that would take way too long!"

"I have plenty of patience. When you rush digging a tunnel, you risk it collapsing. The same goes for when you rush a plan," Onua advised.

Tahu scoffed again. "I don't need a damn philosophy lesson, Onua! I need the mask in that volcano!"

Tahu took a few steps back, then dashed forward and leaped across the river. He rose through the air towards the opposite bank. But a little over halfway across, he began to fall.

Onua, seeing this, sent a chunk of dirt towards his feet. Tahu hit it as it fell into the lava. It disintegrated, but not before Tahu jumped to the other side.

"See?" Tahu asked from across the bank. "Easy!"

"Maybe for you, but how am I going to get to the other side?" Onua asked.

Tahu shrugged. "Climb."

**The Desert Canyon**

"Race you!" Pohatu shouted, activating his Kakama. As he and Kopaka left Kini Nui, they decided they would scour Po-Koro for a mask, as Kopaka already found one in Ko-Koro.

Kopaka sighed. "This is why I work alone."

He activated his Kakama, and sped off to the desert. Pohatu was already there, waiting for him.

"I scouted out the nearby area," he explained when Kopaka slowed down. "There's not much of interest. A whole lotta flat sand and rock. But I did notice a huge canyon. Maybe we should look there."  
"Ironic that we should go from the highest point on the island to the lowest," Kopaka observed.

"Yeah, it is, isn't it?" Pohatu replied.

"Did you see anything of note in the canyon?"

"Scorpions."

"Anything else?"  
"Nope, just a whole lotta scorpions."

"It might not be so wise to go there, then."

"Excuse- excuse me, Toa!" a new voice came from behind them. The two Toa turned to see a Matoran carrying a burlap sack.

"Hey there!" Pohatu greeted him. "Nice to meet you!"

"Thank you, Toa Pohatu!" the Matoran replied. "My name is Hewkii. Turaga Onewa told me to come here," he explained. "He said to give you this."

He handed Pohatu the sack. He peered inside. There were a few slabs of raw meat inside.

"...Why?" he asked.

"You were talking about the Nui-Jaga nest, right? The one in the canyon?" Hewkii asked.

"How long were you eavesdropping on-" Kopaka began.

Pohatu cut him off. "It doesn't matter. Yeah, if that's what those things are called."

Hewkii nodded. "This is Kane-Ra meat. Very hard to come by, and absolutely loved by Nui-Jagas. You can use it to lure them away long enough to sneak in and see if there are any masks."

Kopaka nodded. "Good plan." He snatched the sack away from Pohatu. "I'll do the luring. You can get the mask."

**Lava Surfing**

The red Toa stood on the remnants of a broken bridge, overlooking the Magma Basin. The magma in the volcano flowed through various tunnels. For any other being, the heat would be stifling. But Tahu felt as alive as ever.

_Where would the mask be hiding?_ he asked himself. He stepped closer to the edge and knelt down. _There has to be something here._

The ledge he knelt on began to crack. Tahu bolted up. The quick action caused the ledge to break off immediately, sending Tahu plummeting towards the magma.

His mind raced. How could he get out of this? He approached the magma quickly. The piece of the stone bridge plummeted next to him.

_That's it!_

Tahu grabbed the rock and hopped onto it, not a moment too soon. The rock landed in the magma with a splash. Tahu breathed a sigh of relief. He didn't drown in lava, but he still didn't find any masks. And now he was stuck on a rock inside a volcano. _How the hell am I going to get out of this? _he realized.

Then, answering his question, the rock began to drift towards one of the tunnels. Tahu unsheathed his sword. _This'll be fun_. He pointed the sword behind him and shot a jet of flame from its tip. He shot forward, picking up more and more speed as he neared the tunnel.

He surfed through the tunnel's mouth. It sloped downward, causing Tahu to accelerate even faster.

Then he noticed something. Up ahead, stuck on the ceiling, something was glinting. Could it be a mask?

Tahu crouched down and readied himself. He needed to make sure everything happened perfectly. He sprang up from the rock. Tahu grabbed the thing on the ceiling, half encased in rock.

The momentum from the jump swung Tahu forward, yanking the item loose. Tahu fell back onto the rock.

_Perfect timing!_

Tahu stood up, and looked at what he had grabbed. It was a mask, alright. It looked like the one the Air Toa - Lewa, was it? - wore.

Tahu looked up, just in time to see the end of the tunnel - and the end of the river. Tahu and his nearly melted rock were launched out of the volcano as the river turned into a lava fall.

"WOOOOOOOO!" Tahu screamed as he fell. He landed back in the river, and jumped back onto the bank as the rock finally gave way to the heat.

"Impressive," Onua mused. " Congratulations."

"Very clearly, sometimes the best way to do things is in the heat of the moment," Tahu replied, slamming the mask over his Hau. Immediately, he felt light and floaty, almost as though he could fly. _That'd explain Lewa's energy._

"Let's move on," Tahu decided. "Where else do you think a mask would be hidden?"

**The Canopy**

Even with his Miru, Lewa was exhausted. He never thought that would ever happen, but climbing this tree drained him. It was just so monotonous! _Grab vine, pull myself up, grab other vine, rinse and repeat_.

At the very least, he was almost at the jungle's canopy. Maybe when he got there, he could take a break.

Wait, what was that noise? A buzzing, like the small flies on the ground, but _much _louder. Lewa turned to look when he was knocked off the tree.

"AHHHH!" he screamed. He activated his mask, slowing his descent, and hovered over a branch. He looked up. There were two massive flies, one orange and one green, circling him from above.

"Oh, so that's how this is gonna be, huh?" he shouted to them. The green one dove, sharp claws extended. Lewa sidestepped and sliced off one of its wings with his axe. It spiraled out of control and crashed into a tree, dazed.

The orange one dived next. As it was about to slash at him, Lewa jumped up and landed on its back. He angled the beast upwards, and it had no choice but to ascend. It clawed at Lewa, trying to dislodge him, but his grip remained firm. This was his ticket up, and by Mata Nui, he wasn't going to let go without a fight.

The insect finally broke through the treeline. Immediately, it was much easier to breathe. Lewa looked to his left. The massive tree's top was still a few dozen feet above him, but the insect got slower. It stopped clawing at him, and beat its wings slower.

_This guy probably can't breathe the air as well up here,_ Lewa realized. The insect stopped moving, and began to fall. Lewa jumped off and grabbed onto one of the tree's branches, just as the insect crashed back through the canopy. Lewa imagined what a mess the bug would make when it hit the ground. _Eww,_ he thought, and focused on climbing instead.

At last, Lewa climbed the last vine. He stepped into a small wooden shack built on top of the leaves.

"WHAT?" Lewa shouted. In the shack, there was a pedestal. Written on the pedestal were the Matoran letters for Pakari. And yet, there was nothing there. Lewa screamed a string of curses. When he was finished, he sat down and caught his breath. "What a ripoff," he sighed.

Lewa jumped out of the little treehouse and plummeted down to the ground. Before he landed, he slowed his descent with his mask. He saw Gali standing there, holding a blackened, rusted Miru, but no sign of the bug.

"Lewa! I think I figured out why the Rahi have been attacking the Matoran!" she excitedly told him as he touched down. "It's because of these corrupted masks they're wearing!"

"Speaking of masks," Lewa began, "There wasn't one up there!"

Gali sighed. "How unfortunate. Still, we need to tell the others-"

"There should have been," Lewa continued. "There was a little wooden treehouse with a pedestal in it, and it said Pakari on it! Someone has been stealing the masks!"

**The Nui-Jaga Nest**

Pohatu and Kopaka stood at the edge of the ravine, overlooking the nest of Nui-Jaga scorpions. In the midst of them, Kopaka could see a mask - A Kaukau.

"Alright, then," Pohatu said, throwing a slab of meat into the ravine. "Here goes nothing."

Pohatu ran back behind a rocky outcropping, where Kopaka told him he should hide so none of the Nui-Jaga saw him. Kopaka, with the sack of meat, ran forward, occasionally tossing down slabs as a trail.

Pohatu heard rumbling, and the scratching of claws on rock as every last scorpion scaled the chasm's walls. _I hope Kopaka's able to outrun those beasts,_ Pohatu thought. _Nah, what am I worrying about? He's smart, he'll be fine._

Once the last couple stragglers climbed out, Pohatu began to carefully climb down the ravine. His control over stone made it much easier; he could make handholds and footholds on demand.

It was uneventful until he saw a shadow pass by him. Did one of the Nui-Jagas come back to guard the nest? He turned to look.

His first thoughts were _What? Who?_

A red and gray figure, wearing a lighter gray Miru on their back, was floating down the ravine.

"HEY!" Pohatu shouted, trying to get their attention. "WHO ARE YOU?"

The figure was startled by his voice, and dropped to the bottom with a thud. They stood up and dusted off their armor.

The armor was half a dark, almost charred gray, and the other a bright red, with orange adornments. _Is that just how they are,_ Pohatu wondered, _or did they get attacked, or damaged somehow?_

"HEY!" Pohatu repeated, louder. Still, the figure didn't respond. They picked up the gray Kaukau off the ground, dusted it off, and began to rise back up.

"Oh, no you don't!" Pohatu shouted, sending a boulder careening down from the top of the chasm. The figure rose out of the way, leaving the boulder to smash into the canyon floor. Pohatu tried something else, sending a rain of sharp rocks from above. The figure took out a curved blade and batted them away. Then, they floated out of the canyon and out of sight. Pohatu scrambled back up the way he came, just in time to see Kopaka run up to him.

"Well?" he inquired.

"Someone stole it!" Pohatu grunted. "Right in front of me!"

"Who? A Matoran?" Kopaka asked.

"No, they looked about our size. We need to meet with the other Toa," Pohatu said. "Someone's stealing our masks."


	3. Chapter 3

**The Thief Identified**

The six Toa met up at Kini Nui once again. Gali and Onua sat, Tahu, Kopaka, and Pohatu stood, and Lewa paced back and forth.

"So," Onua began, "how many masks has everyone found?"

"I _should _have found five!" Tahu shouted. "But _nooooo_, I found one!" He ripped off his red Miru and threw it on the ground.

"Someone's been stealing them," Kopaka stated. "It's happened to all of us. No need to throw a fit."

Tahu whirled to face his icy brother. Before he could say anything, Onua stepped between them.

"Look, brothers. We _can _focus our energies on fighting _each other _on this," he interjected. "But that's a waste of time."

"Exactly," Gali agreed. "We need to track down this thief and get our masks back."

"Fine," Tahu grumbled. He picked up his Miru and put it back on his face. Kopaka formed a snowball in his hand and threw it at Tahu's head, but a blast of air from Lewa knocked it out of the way.

"I'm gonna go around Le-Koro," he told the Toa. "See if anyone's seen anyone. Later!" he sprinted back into the jungle.

"I will return to Mount Ihu," Kopaka informed them. "The vantage point, combined with my great Akaku, will give me the best chances of finding the thief." He left to trudge back up the mountain.

"I'll take a look around the island," Pohatu said. He zoomed off in the direction of Ga-Koro. Tahu wordlessly stalked off towards the volcano, leaving just Onua and Gali.

"Well, I suppose I'll check through the tunnels," Onua told her, and he left as well.

_After all, the Onu-Matoran are very familiar with them_, he reasoned. _If the thief's hiding in there, they'll know._

Onua ran into a nearby cave, and descended towards Onu-Koro. He ran until the light was all but gone, when he heard a strange noise. The whirr of a drill, not far from where he stood…

Onua placed his palm on the ground. It was shaking, alright. Barely noticeable to him, it wouldn't be noticeable to a Matoran. He grabbed a chunk of dirt off the wall and began to build a branch tunnel towards the sound.

_It _could _just be a Matoran miner, _Onua considered while he worked. _Or, it could be our thief. _He realized that there was a slim to none chance that he would actually catch the thief, but it was worth a shot anyway.

_Besides, even if I'm wrong, digging's always fun._

**Six Hundred Feet Under**

"They spotted me!" Kanohii had told her creator. "I need to make an emergency exit in case they find our vault!" He knew the importance of keeping the masks they had found - after all, he was the one who built her to collect them.

"Make your escape and make it quick. Take all the masks with you. You will return when you are ready." he had responded.

Now, Kanohii drilled away at the wall of her cavern. Using a damaged Mask of Clairvoyance, she knew the Toa would find her - just not when. She just needed to get this tunnel drilled quickly.

She wore a Kakama on her back, not that it truly helped her. If only she could find Energized Protodermis, then she could upgrade it to a Nuva mask and she could impart her speed onto other things. She could move at the blink of an eye, but her drill moved at the same speed any stolen Onu-Matoran tool did.

Onua tunneled through the hard rock, his wide hands battered despite his Pakari. His added strength made it easier to move stone, but unless he somehow got Pohatu's powers, his hands would still take some wear.

At the very least, he knew he was on the right track. The drilling sound was much louder now, so loud that even someone not attuned with the earth could her it. He grabbed another handful of stone.

Suddenly, a metal drill broke through the wall. It stabbed through Onua's hand. He screamed and recoiled, clutching it. The drill slowed to a stop, and Onua could hear footsteps running away from it. Using his uninjured hand, he punched through the wall and climbed through. He reached out with his powers and caved in the other side of the tunnel.

A shout of pain came from the other end. Onua chased after it to find two legs sticking out of a mound of earth and stone. They flailed and kicked, and he could hear grunting coming from the other side of the cave-in.

"Just stay put for a moment," Onua told the thief. "I'll bring the rest of the Toa around here." He turned and ran back down the tunnel, and back up to the surface.

Kanohii was completely trapped. A mound of dirt and rocks encased her torso. One of her arms was trapped inside it, and the other was pinned under three particularly large stones. Her Kakama had loosened when the Toa's scream startled her, and completely fell off when she got buried.

_Come on,_ she thought. _I've gotta get out of this. I have to get these masks out of here._ She relaxed for a moment, gathering her strength. _I can't let them get their masks back_. She took a deep breath and yanked her arm out of the rocks.

"Yes!" she shouted. Her hand hurt in about a dozen places, a chunk of her armor was torn off, and she was bleeding, but at least it was free. She grabbed handfuls of dirt and pebbles away from where her other arm was.

Twenty minutes later, she found the leverage to free her other arm. Now, slowly but surely, she began to pull herself out of the rubble.

**Reclamation**

Onua breathed in the fresher, less stale air of the island as he got closer to the surface. The tunnel got lighter and lighter, until he could see its mouth. He burst out into Kini Nui, where to his surprise, the rest of the Toa were already gathered.

"Ah, you are finally here," Kopaka remarked. "Congratulations on being the second to find the thief."

Gali looked at Onua's hand, which he was still nursing. "Onua, what happened to your hand?" she asked.

"It got stabbed. That's not important. Anyway-" he brushed off the question.

"Hey, the Le-Matoran are good with medical stuff!" Lewa interrupted. "You need to get that bandaged up, and treated so it doesn't get infected," he explained. "I mean, you are the Toa of Earth, so all the dirt on your hands is definitely making the problem worse."

"Exactly," Kopaka agreed. "Onua, you should go with Lewa. The rest of us will take our masks back." The other Toa nodded in agreement. Lewa, however, didn't.

"Woah, woah, woah," he began. "I'm not missing out on the fight! I climbed a massive tree to find a mask, and didn't get anything to show for it! I'm going down too!"

Pohatu clapped his hand on Lewa's shoulder. "Sorry, Lewa. But someone needs to make sure Onua's alright, and you're the only person who knows how to get around the jungle."

Lewa groaned. "Fine. But next fight we're in, you all are sitting out and _I_ get to be the one in the action!" he stalked away towards the jungle, and Onua followed him.

"Alright," Tahu said once the two Toa had gone into the trees, "Let's get our masks back."

The Toa entered the cave, with Kopaka and his Akaku leading the way. As the light began to fade, the journey went silent.

"How did Lewa know anything about healing?" Gali asked, trying to fill the quiet.

Pohatu shrugged, though no one could see it. "Probably the same reason you know about fishing or I know about carving. We just do."

After that, it went back to silence, except for Kopaka occasionally stating directions.

"You know," Tahu broke the silence, "I could light a fire. Get some light in here."

"If you do that," Kopaka stated slowly, "then what little air is down here will be consumed by it, and we'll all suffocate. I know your brain can survive with little oxygen, but ours can't."

"You little bastard…" Tahu raised his sword. "Say that to my face!"

But Kopaka said nothing, and the silence resumed, now much more tense.

Eventually, the Toa linked hands, once all light was gone. Suddenly, Kopaka stopped in his tracks. Tahu bumped into him.

"Hey, what now?" he grumbled. Kopaka turned to his left and walked through a much smaller tunnel, one that certainly wasn't natural.

"Our thief is just down here." he said. The four Toa all readied their weapons.

Kopaka ran to the end of the tunnel. In the dim light, he never noticed that the tunnel wasn't completed. He ran into the end of the tunnel with a thud, knocking him onto the ground.

"Nice going, Kopaka." Tahu jeered as he caught up. "Pohatu, could you?"

"No problem," Pohatu replied. Using his power over stone, he crumbled the wall Onua had left. The Toa walked through and prepared themselves for the battle to come.

**The Battle Begins**

"Come on!" Kanohii grunted. Her legs were almost free from the trap. With a final shove, she tumbled out. She took a moment to let the feeling rush back into her legs, then slowly got to her feet.

Clutching her injured arm, she stumbled to the Wall of Masks. The vast majority of them were damaged, a result of her perilous journey here through the tunnels. She grabbed a Noble Kanohi Medeyi, a Mask of Healing, and put it on her back. A good chunk was missing from its forehead, and it had proven to be very unreliable in the past. She activated it, and focused on healing the gash in her arm. Slowly, the wound began to shrink, until it became a small cut. The mask's power cut out. Kanohii placed it back on the wall, thankful that it at least worked that well.

Kanohii heard a thud coming from the tunnel. She grabbed and donned an Akaku.

_They're here already!_

She began to run towards the main entrance and exit of the vault. Halfway there, she slowed to a stop.

_Should I run? There's a chance I could beat them… But no, that'd be suicide. They'd steal all the masks I found, and I'd end up in some Matoran jail. _She paced back and forth. _But I can't run either, because then they'd get my masks anyway! _Then, she had an idea. _I have a Mask of Night Vision, and they don't. That's an amazing idea!_

She raced back to the Wall of Masks and grabbed a Mask of Shattering. Using it, she destroyed every lightstone in the Vault. Then, she took that off and put on a Mask of Night Vision. The Toa wouldn't be able to see anything, but Kanohii… she could see everything.

**An Endurance Fight**

The Toa stepped through the opening Pohatu made and continued through the tunnel. Not long after, the narrow walls disappeared. Kopaka slowed down.

"We're here." He raised his sword and shield. He cautiously walked forward.

"You'd think whoever lives here would want some lights on…" Pohatu commented.

"Maybe they're like Onua," Gali responded. "He likes the dark-"

Gali was interrupted by something slamming into her, simultaneously yanking off her mask.

"Gali!" Pohatu shouted. "Are you-" The same thing happened to Pohatu. Kopaka whirled around. Thanks to his Akaku, he could see the Toa's outlines, as well as the thief's.

"Tahu! Look out!" he shouted to the Fire Toa, but he was too late. Tahu was stripped of his mask as well.

"Well, well. Just one left!" a voice echoed through the cavern. Kopaka looked around, and saw the thief standing near the tunnel entrance. She began running toward him. He sidestepped and jabbed her in the back with his shield.

He slammed his sword into the ground, slowly covering the floor in ice. He saw the thief run to one of the walls and grab something off of it. A second later, all the ice shattered. Cracks then began to spread through his weapons. Kopaka summoned an icicle and threw it at the thief. It hit her side, and the cracks stopped spreading.

The thief ran up to him, and in the almost non-existent light, he saw that curved blades were affixed to her arms. She jabbed one at his face. He parried it with his blade. They both stabbed, dodged, and parried for half a dozen minutes. She would make an attempt to grab Kopaka's mask, but he would duck out of the way. He would try to freeze the ground beneath her feet, but she kept him off-balance so that he couldn't focus.

Kopaka was beginning to tire. Rather than swinging his sword in a controlled, elegant arc, he flung his arm in the direction he wanted, and the sword followed. The thief, he noticed, was getting tired too. Her jabs and dodges were slower and less energetic.

_So, it's a game of endurance… _Kopaka realized. _Alright, thief. Let's tire you out._

Kopaka was about to activate his Mask of Speed when an intense howling sound came from the tunnel. A second later, the thief was knocked off her feet from a huge gust of wind. Lewa and Onua burst into the room.

"Ha ha!" Lewa cried. "Just in time!"

The thief stood up, putting up her fists. She began to run towards the two newcomers.

A pillar of earth erupted from the ground in front of her, hitting her squarely in the jaw and sending her flying. She crashed onto the ground, shattering the Ruru on her back.

Kopaka gathered the fallen Toa's masks while Onua and Lewa handed out lightstones.

After getting his mask back, Tahu stood up and faced Kopaka. "You held your own there," he admitted. "You may be a complete ass, but… it's good to have you on our team."

Kopaka said nothing, but nodded.

"So," Lewa said, staring at the wall filled with masks, "Let's get our missing masks back!"

Lewa and Pohatu distributed the gray masks, each turning a brilliant color when put on. Once they all had six masks each, the ceiling began to shake.

"Hey!" Lewa shouted as some small stones fell on his head. "What's happening?"

Onua and Pohatu looked at each other. "Cave-in," they said in unison.

"We've gotta get out of here!" Lewa shouted, already running for the exit.

"Can't agree with you more," Tahu said as he followed.

"What about the thief?" Gali asked. "We can't just leave her to be crushed!"

Tahu groaned. "Fine. But if we die, I blame you." Using his new Mask of Speed, Tahu ran around the room. "She's gone," he reported. "And so am I."

The other four Toa followed his example, Kopaka pausing one second before doing so. They reached the surface in only a minute, Kopaka and Pohatu first. Kopaka collapsed on the warm grass as soon as he sped out of the cave. The rest stood around Kini Nui, chatting amiably.

"So, what's up next?" Lewa asked.

"Next?" came a voice from the bushes. A small figure stepped out, which Kopaka figured was Turaga Vakama.

"So eager for the next fight. I would think even you would want to rest after that." he said to Lewa.

"Look, dude. If you're just here to chastise me for being pumped, then-"

"I am not," the Turaga chuckled. "That's Matau's job. No, I'm here to tell you that you are ready to face the Makuta."


End file.
